Monday, November 7, 2011

Bike goodies!

I'm a total sucker for bike gadgets and pretties. Fortunately, it's not hard to find people who help support my habit.

Elle is is one of my suppliers. For my birthday this year, she handed me a strange package. I knew at a glance that it was a couple of really big slap bracelets, and for the life of me, I could not figure out why she would be giving me a doodad coveted by third grade girls. I put on a polite face as I kept unwrapping.

Slap & Wrap photos by Dragon Boy and Monkey Boy

I shouldn't have worried. They were CycleAware's Slap & Wrap pant leg bands which are very cool reflective cuffs to keep my pant legs out of my bike chain! Brilliant! I can store them on my bike frame, so they're always where I need them when I need them. Looks like you can get them at Team Estrogen. Oooh, stocking stuffers! Thanks, Elle!

(Side note: I'm having a hard time keeping those Slap & Wraps away from the boys. Crazy stuff going on. On the other hand, they've been entertained for hours.)

Happy birthday to me! I was lucky enough to score this handmade bike belt, crafted by Cindy Larson here in beautiful Montana. It looks great with jeans and my "Be Fabulous. Ride Bikes" hoodie from Harlot Wear. Get the belts at tart. It's really easy to start collecting these babies in all the beautiful fabrics Cindy has selected. Tartress Anna Visscher has assured me that more bike goods are coming soon for holiday giving. Lead me not into temptation . . .

And then there's the bike trainer that Hot Husband and I have been eyeing at a used sporting goods store. In its previous life, it probably helped some bike racing ninja warm up and cool down before a big event. Now, it will sit in our basement while we pedal for our sanity during a long Montana winter.

Let's be clear -- I don't get giddy doing intervals on a bike trainer. I'd much rather be out in the fresh air and sunshine, pedaling real hills, watching the changing light on the mountains. But I desperately need an endorphin boost, so the trainer isn't bad when the wind is bitter and the snow is deep.

This Minoura M50 is small, portable, light, and quiet. Thank ya Jesus. Our last bike trainer was so flipping loud that I couldn't use it while the kids were sleeping, both for the noise it made and for the shouting Hot Husband and I did if we needed to communicate while one of us was using it. Last night, I was able to watch a TED talk while getting in an interval workout.

This trainer got good reviews and seems to be in decent shape. We picked it up for less than half the price of a new one, so I'd say it's a win. Maybe someday we'll feel the need for a fancier, flashier trainer, but that's not today.

Setting my Compass this week
-- Starting most mornings with some little bit of movement. My brain is so much happier when it gets a shot of exercise first thing. It pulls my head out of hamster mode, and I can focus (mostly) on what matters instead of panic about getting it all done.

-- Getting a handle on this big thing that's been brewing in my head for a few days. Women. Exercise. Power.

-- Clearing off one small horizontal surface in my house each day rather than doing several and getting resentful. I know, where's the sport in that?